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2 Sheets-Sh'eet 1.

(No Model.)

A. G. CUMMINGS. DEVICE FOR OPERATING SIGNALS FOR RAILROADS, &0.

Patented Aug. 16, ,1 8 81.

mfned'weo" 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' (No Model.)

I A. G. CUMMINGS.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING SIGNALS FOR RAILROADS, 8w.

Patented Aug. 16, 1881.

nvenzw" fli'bay ngy Nv PETERS Phmo-Liflwgnpher. Washington. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT G. CUMMINGS, 0F HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PENNSYLVANIA STEEL COMPANY. I

DEVICE FOR OPERATING SIGNALS FOR RAILROADS, &.c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,794, dated August 16, 1881.

Application filed May 25, 1880.

To all whom t't may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT G. CUMMINGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Operating Signals for Railroads, Draw-Bridges, &c.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

Figure lrepresents a vertical section of the sheave-wheel and anti-friction rollers. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of same. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the operating device within the casin g attached to the post. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of post holding two signals and havingmyimproved apparatus applied thereto.

Signals for railroads, draw-bridges, &c., are generally placed on columns or posts of considerable elevation, and the signals are so arranged that by position they indicate safety or danger, the signal being so arranged that the normal position of the signal will indicate danger. The connections from the operating mechanism to the signal are frequently several hundred feet in length, and to provide for the usual variations of length from changes of the temperature a compensating device is used midway between the signal and the operating mechanism, the said compensating device having a weight so arranged that if the connection between the compensator and the operating mechanism breaks, then the weight at the compensator causes the signal to assume the positionindicating danger, and ifthe connection between the compensator and the signal breaks, then the signal is also made to assume the position of danger by means of a weight at the post.

The connection with the operating mechanism is usually by wire or other flexible cord, which is attached to and operates in the groove of a sheave-wheel journaled on the post or some attachment thereto, said wheel being provided with a segment of a sheave of much (No model.)

greater diameter, to which the weight is attached by means of a chain. The side of the sheave is also provided with a cam projection which supports a lever, one end of said lever being pivoted to an arm or bracket, and the other end supporting a connection leading to the signal, and when in one position holding the signal, so that a partial revolution of the sheave carries the cam from under the lever, and thus allows the signal to drop to the position indicating danger, the cord connecting with the signal being always weighted sufficiently to secure this result.

In my improvements I employ a sheavewheel, to which the cord connecting with the operating mechanism is attached, and I provide said sheave with a segmentof a larger sheave for the attachment of the weight, the segment occupying a larger portion of a circle, and in place of a cam projection I use an eccentric groove formed between two annular flanges, the groove extending entirely around the center of wheel. As shown in the drawings, the larger portion of the groove is concentric; but a portion of the groove say about ninety degrees-is on a circle of a larger radius, both portions being connected by inclinations in the groove, so that the latter is continuous. To move the signal a lever having one end connected therewith and the other end pivoted to a fixed support similar to what is commonly used-is employed, and on one side of said lever is carried an anti'friction roll, which moves in the groove in the sheave-wheel when the latter is rotated.

By my improved device two signals may be operated by means of one connecting-cord, as shown in the drawings, allowing either signal to be set to indicate safety, and when one is thus set the other is retained in position to indicate danger, thus eft'ectin g,in cases requiring two signals on one post, a saving of one set of connections, a compensator, and one signal-operating device at the post. When I thus operate two signals with one connection I use two hand-levers in the operating mechanism at the station or signal-cabin, each being attached to one end of a simple lever, to the center of which the connection leading to the signal is attached, the same as shown in my Patent No. 226,499, dated April 13, 1880,-to operate switches, and produce in this way a double movement of the connection with the signal. Two levers, each carrying an antifriction roll and each having one end connecting with a signal, are also used. To use vsignals with safety it is requisite that in case a connection with a signal breaks the signal should at once assume the position indicating; danger. Thisis made certain for either signal by my improvement, and the result desired is effected by having each signal and its connection move the reverse of the other, both the anti-friction rolls moving from the center of the wheel-that is, moving in opposite directions-and the sheave-wheel and weight being arranged so that the wheel has a limited movementin one direction say two-fifths of a revQ- lution.

In the drawings referred to, A designates the sheave-wheel hung within the casing B secured to the signal-post (J, said wheel having the cord D attached thereto. The wheel A is provided with an enlarged segment, a, for the chain attached to the weight d, the end of the chain being attached at e. The eccentric or cam-shaped groove a, formed between flanges on the wheel A, extends continuously around the center of the wheel, and forms a way for the anti-friction rolls 1), carried by the levers F.

As above stated, a portion, a, of groove a is formed on a larger circle than that on which the greater part of said groove is formed, connection between the two portions being effected by the inclinations f. This formation of the groove a gives the required movements to the levers F, provided with rolls b, when the wheel is rotated, each of said levers having one end pivoted to a fixed support, h, and the other end connected with a signal by means of a rod, 9. The rotation of the wheel in the direction indicated by the arrow 1, Fig. 4., is caused by the weight d when the cord D is slackened, and is limited by means of a lug, i, on the wheel coming in contact with a stop, k. The rotation of the wheel in the direction indicated by the arrow 2 is caused by drawing the cord D. When the wheel A is rotated in the direction of the arrow 2 the inclined portion f of groove a passes the roller b, bringing the roller into the part a of the groove and farther from the center of the wheel, thus causing an upward movement of lever F, connecting by rod g with signal G, as shown, and changing the position of the signal to safety. In case of the breaking of the connection between the compensator and the hand'lever at the station, the wheel A rotates partially in the direction of arrow 2, and in case of breaking of connection between the compensator and the signal the wheel rotates partially in the opposite direction by reason of weight d. I

In the construction of the apparatus the weight of the signals is nearly equal to the re sistance, so that little force is required to operate it. When the apparatus is arranged for using but one signal the connections are so adjusted that one of the inclined portionsfof the groove to is midway in the movement, thereby insuring a perfect movement of the signal, though the length of the connection should vary slightly, so that the inclined portion of groove ct is carried somewhat farther than the required point. The roll I) is still held at the correct distance from the center of wheel A, and such further movement has no effect on the position of the signal until the roll enters the reverse inclination f.

As a modification in the construction of the sheave-wheel, a cam-shaped flange may be formed thereon in place of the groove a, said flange having the form or plan of the groove. In such case two anti-friction rolls are used, one working each side of the flange, so that in operation the two rolls will alternately move in contact with the respective sides of the flange.

I claim 1. In a signal-operating device, a wheel provided with a cam-shaped groove, a, in combination with a pivoted lever holding a roller, 7), and connecting with a signal, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. A signal operating device constructed and adapted to operate two signals by means of a cam formed by groove (0 on wheel A, in combination with levers F, carrying rollers b, and connecting by rods with the signals, sub stantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afflx my signature in 100 presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT G. CUMMINGS.

Witnesses Gno. W. PARSONS, EBENEZER BENT. 

